Soroptimist Microbrew Festival has more than 1,000 saying cheers to good cause

CHICO &GT;&GT; More than a thousand people tipped back a glass for a good cause Saturday during the 19th annual Soroptimist Microbrew Festival.

Sheron Box, event chairwoman for Soroptimist International of Bidwell Rancho, said 1,100 tickets were pre-sold. The $50 entrance fee helps pay for programs for women and girls.

More than 60 breweries and several wineries ensured nobody needed to drink something they didn't like. Trays of sausages, tamales, cheese and other nibbling items could be found at just about every place where liquid flowed.

The party spilled outdoors, where sippers gathered courage to face the heat, and were treated to music by Jeff Pershing and Three Fingers Whiskey.

Moises Zerme?o couldn't be missed, wearing an oversized green top hat and surrounded by 10 buddies, also wearing colorful hatwear.

The event was a welcome treat for him and his brother-in-law, Steven Moses, as the two had recently become fathers. Moses, wearing a black sombrero, said the new mothers had given them a pass for the day.

"We all know good beer," Zerme?o said, pointing to his friends, wearing a top hat, Mickey Mouse-type ears and miscellaneous silly caps.

One favorite was Chico Brew Shop, which always rolls out with something unique for events, Zerme?o said between slurps.

While some came for the suds, others came to get the word out about their product.

Eben Weisberg brews beer in San Leandro. Members of his crew are at beer fests each week. He sells beer in local restaurants and likes to give locals a taste of new things in the Oskar Blues Brewery lineup.

Mark Crooks and Wendy DeJesus were introducing people to Tamale Tango, which will soon be a new food truck in town. DeJesus adds interesting sauces to the traditional Mexican foods, including mango and coconut curry.

Down near the lawn, brew festival veteran Blake Morillas, of Magalia, was tasting his way through the event and giving some festival tips to his buddy Tim Haas, of Chico.

Both men wore brew caddies around their neck, which looked like harnesses for the pint glasses.

Morillas was only too happy to explain the benefits of hands-free glass holding. You can eat without holding your glass, talk hands-free, and then of course, there's hands-free trips to the men's room. Most importantly, you don't drop your glass, he said.

From the sounds of it, Morillas never misses a Soroptimist Microbrew Festival, nor any other beer festival within driving distance. He said he was impressed the event is one of the few beer events where sippers aren't given plastic containers.

With so much brew fest experience, Morillas said he likes to check in on some of his favorites and see if they have anything new. He also taught Haas that if he doesn't like something, it's OK not to drink it and move on to the next sample.

Morillas said he had not yet made the rounds, but so far he was impressed by High Water Brewing, which had just released its barley wine at 3 p.m. that day.